Footing for structural elements



H O HILL FOOTING FOR STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS Filed May 5, 1924 May 25 1926.

IIID L@ Patented living ag E "vi e Uit t rata MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OFLEETSDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CGRFORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

FOOTING FOR STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS.

Application flied nay 5,

This invention is for a footing or ground anchor for structuralelements, such for instance as structural metal transmission towers.

In the erection of power transmission lines, it is necessary that thetransmission towers be well anchored and have a goed footing in theground in which they are erected. One common form of ground anchor forsuch towers comprises a grille made of several spaced apart beams havingwide bottom flanges. Y In soft earth.y such a footing may cut throughthe earth, the spaces between the beams permitting of this.Consequently, the footing may rise or lower from the position in whichit is set. Another serious disadvantage of this kind of a footing is theexcessive amount of steel that has to be used, and which serves no otherpurpose in the footing than to provide a wide surface to resist movementin the earth. This steel not only increases the initial cost of thetower, but also is a big item in transportation costs.

Concrete footings for the tower are frequently used, but, due to thedistance covered, and the condition and character' of the countrytraversed, it is very expensive to haul the materials used in making thecon crete, it generally being necessary to even haul the water, as wellas the implements or machinery, and labor for mixing the concrete.Consequently, here is a trend in favor of the structural steel anchor. Y

The present invention purposes to provide a structural metal anchor inwhich is received suitable slabs, such as ready formed reinforcedconcret-e blocks, this anchor having far less metal therein than theusual metal grille anchor, and providing` a solid supporting` andresisting surface that prevents the anchor from cutting through theground.

This arrangement permitting, as it does, of far less steel being use-d,greatly decreases transportation costs. The reinforced concrete slabscan be readily formed at a conveniently located point and carried intothe field with the other parts of the tower. Its great advantage,however, other than the saving of metal and transportation costs, is inthe improved anchorage which it provides.

The invention may be readily understood Fig. 7 is a diagrai'nn'iaticview indicating a type of tower with which the invention may be used.

In the form of invention shown in F igs. l and 2, the footing comprisestwo parallel channel irons 5 having their channels turned toward eachother, and midway between the two is a length of I-beam 6. These threestructural members are connected by transverse structural bars 7,between which is secured a short' vertical I-beam or other suitableupright 8, to which a stud or tower leg or other structural element 9 issecured.

The channels on each face of the I-beam and on the inner faces of thechannel bars provide a guideway into which a slab or block 10,preferably formed of reinforced concrete, may be slid and retained inplace, In order that the bloclr need not be needless ly heavy, the bodyof the block is relatively thin, but ithas flanges 10a of sufficientheight to fit snugly in the channels.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the

v parts are generally similar, and corresponding reference numerals havebeen used. In order that the slab 10 may be perfectly fiat, however,angle bars l1 are secured to the sid-e faces of the I-beam 6 and theinside of the channels 5, thereby providing narrow guideways or flangesto receive or confine the edges of the slab 10, which slab is ofsubstantially uniform thickness.

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the same principle isfollowed, but there are merely two parallel channel bars I2 in thefooting turnedtoward each other,

the central I-beam of the Fig. 1 construction being omitted. Thetransverse connectinfr beams are indicated at 13, and I4 is the uprightto which the leg or stud 15 is se'-1 cured. The slab is designated I6and, in n Fig. 5. is shown as having side flanges lil" to inalie theedges of the bloc-l1: suliiciently thick to be retained in the channels.

ln Fig. (la the slab l5 is of subst: Titia.. uniform thickness, butlongitudina l tending angle bars l? are seen-.red to th io receive theedges of the slab.

In Fig. 7, l have shown diagrammatically, for the Ypurpose ofillustration, a transnns- Sion tower 18 having footings enibodjfing theconstruction outlinec, and showing the adaptabilityY of the invention totransmission towers. However, l do not confine inyfelf to the use of theinvention for transin .orion towers alone, as it is equallj,y applicableto other structures. Further7 various cha and inodiications may be inadewithin the conten'iplation of iny invention.

Frein the foregoing, it will readily be seen that, when the slabs are inthe anchor construction and the entire assembly is in the ground7 areinforced concrete footin is provided having a large soli-l area overwhich the downward and upward strains are distributed.

Due to the fact that the slabs may cover :i fairly wide span7 thesupportilg beains may be snaced relatively far abart and a great savingof inetal is the eby effected over similar anchors forlned of a largenurnber of spaced-apart l-beains with wide bottoni langes. Such aconstruction, furthermore, improves the footing because of the fact thatthe spaces between the bezuns l'jeing filled in, it is not possible forthe anchor to cut through the earth.

l claiin as iny invention l. A footing for striietural elementscoinprising a pair of connected ineinbers hiving guideways therein, anda concrete slab adapted to be s'd into position between said inelnbersand having its edges received in the guideways.

Q .A footing for structural elements coinprising a pair of flangedstructural beams, the flanges of which e); ,nd toward each other. a slabharing a relatively large area to receive the down-.v d and upwardstrains of the structural cleui .its and interposed between the hean'isand retained in position by the flanges thereon, and ineans connectingthe structural beams.

f 3. it footing for structural elements co1nprising a pluralityY ofspacer apart structu al bean'is having oppositely disposed flangesthereon, ineens connecting the structural beanie together, and concreteslabs having upper and lower contacting surfaces of relatively7 largearea for contact with the earth interposed between the spaced aparteleinents, said slabs cooperating wit-h and being retained in positionby the flanges on said beams.

il. A footing for structural elements coinprising a pair of para llelspaced apart struetural beains each having spaced apart flanges thereonturned toward the flanges of the other, a guideway being forined betweenthe flanges on each beani, a reinforced concrete slab having largecontacting surfaces for Contact with t-he earth ttor resisting moveinentin the earth interposed between the beams having its edges received inthe guideways, and ineans connecting the beains.

5. footing for structural elements coinprising a pair of parallel spacedapartV structural beains each h aving spaced apart flanges thereonturned toward the flanges of the other, a guidewaT being formed betweenthe flanges on each beain, a reinforced concrete slab having large earthcontacting surfaces interposed between the beanis having its edgesreceived in the guideways, cross bars connecting the parallel beains,and an upright connected with the cross-bars.

ln testimony whereof I aliii; my signature.

HAROLD O. HlLL.

